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| Jason Seed's “The Escapist” Once again, members of the Chicago and Milwaukee Symphonies have come together to participate in the latest recording by composer/guitarist, Jason Seed. Seed's fourth album, "The Escapist" is a stimulating exploration of music genres. Seed explains, "For the new recording I wanted to focus on guitar with strings and delve into the areas between classical, jazz, tango and instrumental folk music, incorporating elements of each into a cohesive whole. So a changing of areas of focus, within the whole 'rockedixieofunkinjazzpsybaroq-classicadelicgangolk' thing." For "The Escapist", Seed brought together his usual, exceptionally talented suspects: Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Dan Armstrong on bass and Hermine Gagne on violin, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra's Glenn Asch on violin and viola and Helen Reich on viola with Seed playing lead guitar. "This collaboration with Jason has been a creative highlight for me, both for the satisfaction of working with motivated and talented players, and the pleasure of playing new music that speaks for itself. Jason's compositions combine the looseness of a jazzer with a curiosity and openness to all sounds and styles. It's been great fun bringing my expertise to music which incorporates the rigor of Frank Zappa, the driving swing of Bulgarian mixed-meter dances, and the languor and lyricism of the blues", says Daniel Armstrong, bass player in the CSO. Two CD release parties will be held in February in Chicago and Milwaukee to celebrate "The Escapist". The first will take place in Chicago on February 23rd at 9:30pm at The Whistler located at 2421 N. Milwaukee Avenue. The second release party will take place in Milwaukee on February 25th at 9pm at VIA Downer, 2625 N. Downer Avenue. Seed has performed with and had music performed by The Chicago Symphony's Skookumchuck Strings, The Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, The Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra, Present Music, The Prometheus Trio, The Jessica Lurie Ensemble and many others. In the Rock world, he created the Jason Seed Elixir Ensemble, which won the 2008 Independent Music Awards, has put out three full-length records, performed throughout the Midwest and at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. In the Jazz world, Jason Seed has played in groups and led groups that have played across the U.S. and in Poland, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium and Switzerland. Seed's music has been performed by various ensembles in jazz, rock and classical settings across the United States as well as in Holland, Germany and Poland. He has performed as a guitarist with Present Music (performing the music of Astor Piazolla, Elena Kats-Chernin, Michael Torke, Julia Wolfe and others), The Jessica Lurie Ensemble, Trey Gunn (of King Crimson), Bill Frisell and numerous groups of his own. Seed studied music at Indiana University with David Baker and privately with composers Douglas Lofstrom, William Russo and Ileana Perez-Velasquez. - write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |